Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 4376 to 4400 of 4946 results

4376. As a Fire Exists by Burning

Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

Sermon

Dean Feldmeyer

After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore, ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. (Luke 10:1-3) “The church exists by mission as fire exists by burning.” Emil Brunner Groundhog Day In West Virginia Years ago, some other ...

4377. Defining Justice with Jesus

Matthew 20:1-16

Sermon

Will Willimon

My colleague, Alasdair MacIntyre got it right. When you talk about “justice,” the real question is whose justice? All accounts of justice are subservient to some social order, some vision of the world, of what ought to be, where we're all headed, of who’s in charge. Christians get our accounts of justice from Jesus. Just after telling us that the "first will be last and the last will be first" (an odd sense of justice, that one!) in this morning's gospel Jesus says, a far1c1er has a job to do. His ...

4378. They Didn't Have To Do It, But They Did

Genesis 14:1-24

Sermon

Carlyle Fielding Stewart

Life is filled with stories of those selfless saints who have done the great things, made the great sacrifices and moved the boundaries of human reciprocity beyond their current constraints. A friend shared with me his experience at getting a flat tire while traveling at night through Southern Georgia en route to Florida. He knew of black men being lynched on remote Southern roads and now he was stranded on a road at eleven o'clock at night. It was pitch black with no houses in sight, and he was filled ...

4379. Nowhere To Run, Nowhere To Hide

1 Kings 9:1-9

Sermon

Carlyle Fielding Stewart

After predicting a drought, raising the widow's son at Zarephath, challenging and slaying the prophets of Baal, Elijah the prophet is now on the run for his life from Queen Jezebel and King Ahab. Buoyant, strong, and confident, he has stood toe to toe with the powers that be, denouncing every evil. He has bravely articulated divine intentions, but now we find him fleeing for his life to Mount Horeb. See him now cowering in a cave hewn in the mountain's side, depressed and weary, afraid for his life. Elijah ...

4380. God Remembers

1 Samuel 1:1-20

Sermon

John A. Stroman

On these opening pages of 1 Samuel we are introduced to a family drama. Here is the story of Elkanah and his two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Immediately, we encounter the tension in this family which is a result of Hannah's barrenness. Hannah's husband loves her and treats her with kindness. When they traveled to Shiloh on the day of sacrifice, Elkanah would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to her sons and daughters, but he would give a double portion to Hannah, and the text tells us he did this ...

4381. Friendship? Yes, Please!

2 Samuel 11:1-27

Sermon

Stephen M. Crotts

According to a recent poll only about ten percent of American males say they have a good friend. And while women fare somewhat better, neither do they set a record. Why is this? I believe it is because we place such an emphasis on doing, producing, and having that we have very little time and energy left for developing relationships. In short, we'd rather have things than people. Actually, the Bible predicts this is how it will be in the end of times. Revelation 18:11-13 describes the economy of Babylon, ...

4382. Shameless Passion

Isaiah 50:1-11

Sermon

Paul W. Kummer

Today is Palm Sunday. Some of you wonder why our text is not highlighting the trek into Jerusalem on a donkey, but rather this coming Friday's story of Jesus' suffering as found prophesied in the Old Testament. Why is this the chosen lesson? Too many people move from Palm Sunday's jubilation to Easter's victory and never take the excruciating walk through the Upper Room, the Garden of Gethsemane, the Trials, and Mount Calvary. But you must go through it all really to know the joy of the Open Tomb! I like ...

4383. Buying Swamp Land For God

Jeremiah 32:1-44

Sermon

Robert P. Hines

Years ago Art Linkletter had a portion of his show dedicated to showing us that kids will sometimes say the most unusual things. In a similar way, Allen Funt's Candid Camera showed us that people of all ages will sometimes do the strangest things. Well, the people of God have also been caught doing the strangest, most unusual things. Abraham left his homeland and familiar surroundings to go to a land that God promised to give to him, a land he had never seen. Moses gave up his quiet life in the country to ...

4384. Daring To Trust The Roots

Isaiah 11:1-16

Sermon

Paul E. Robinson

There is so much uncertainty in life that most of us look hard and long for as many "sure things" as we can find. A fisherman goes back again and again to that hole that always produces fish and leaves on his line that special lure that always does the trick. The fishing hole and the lure are sure things. A gardener finds it hard to switch from tried and true varieties of vegetables. Blue Lake or Provider green beans, Silver Queen white corn, Beefsteak tomatoes, Detroit Red beets all have a familiar, solid ...

4385. The King's Wedding Feast

Matthew 22:1-14

Sermon Aid

William E. Keeney

Context of the Lectionary The First Lesson. (Exodus 32:1-14) The passage recounts the experience of the people of Israel in the wilderness when Moses had gone up the mountain of Sinai. They assumed that he was not returning. They appealed to Aaron for a god to lead them. He got from the people all the gold of their jewelry and from that produced the golden calf. The people proceeded with an orgy of worship. Moses came down and discovered what was happening. In his anger he shattered the tablets which ...

4386. The Holy Spirit As The Dove Of Peace

Sermon

John A. Stroman

The symbol of the descending dove has meant for the Christian community both the coming of the Holy Spirit and the symbol of peace. As we have seen, the community of the Holy Spirit is a creative and diverse community, yet a community where peace prevails characterized by openness and freedom, as well as, togetherness and unity. The words in John 14 tie together the concept of both the coming of the Holy Spirit and Jesus' desire for peace. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my ...

4387. Screaming For A Reason Why

Matthew 26:36-46; 27:45-46 · Job 3:1-26

Sermon

Wallace H. Kirby

There are three rooms in the city of Raleigh, and though they are different in size and shape, they have one thing in common. The three rooms are located in three hospitals. They are intensive care waiting rooms. Let me describe one of these rooms. It is on the second floor of the Wake Medical Center. Surrounding it are three units: cardiac care, surgical intensive care, maximum intensive care. A lot of us have seen the inside of that waiting room. It is divided into small seating areas, so that the ...

4388. Take Some Lessons

2 Timothy 3:10--4:8

Sermon

Robert R. Kopp

All scripture is inspired by God and is useful....-- 2 Timothy 3:16 My handicap was heading to single digits and those absurd late fortyish daydreams about the senior tour were making denomi-national meetings more tolerable when disaster struck. Playing with my dad in one of those little friendly-while-you're-winning matches, I was even through fifteen holes. I had been slow, steady, and solid throughout the round. So I strutted to the sixteenth tee, undoubtedly more personally impressed than impressive. ...

4389. All Things Hidden Will Be Revealed

Drama

Karren Boehr

Theme: The Need For Unity Amidst Diversity (Based on 1 Corinthians 4:5 and 1 Corinthians 10:17) God admonishes his people to be unified and have no divisions among themselves but be made complete, in the same mind. This hard-hitting drama brings home, in a straightforward manner, the seriousness of division in the body of Christ, the petty nature of most church disagreements today, and the possible ultimate consequences. Setting: The gates of heaven Characters:GATEKEEPER: Either male or female, must have ...

4390. The God Of Naomi

Drama

Karren Boehr

Theme: God Draws His People To Himself This drama is enhanced by the Biblical character, Ruth, wandering about the sanctuary as she talks. The strength in this piece lies in the individual portraying Ruth and her ability to convey heartfelt feelings. No staging is needed, other than a lapel or portable mike. Setting: Biblical times, when Ruth is older Character: RUTH: Middle-aged or older woman, gentle in nature, a sincere heart for God Costumes: Biblical dress Props: Basket with fruit, flowers RUTH: ( ...

4391. Grand Finale

Drama

Karren Boehr

Theme: Graduation Setting: Hall outside school auditorium moments before graduation Characters:MARCUS: Graduating senior, self confidentANDREA: Graduating senior, more uncertain of herself Costumes: Graduation gowns, mortarboards Props: Long-stemmed flowers, stick of gum, tape of "Pomp and Circumstance" Scene: Two seniors in caps and gowns are standing side-by-side center stage as if in line. They are about ready to march into the auditorium. Holding a long-stemmed flower, Andrea is nervous, up-tight. ...

4392. On The Job Training

Matthew 10:1-42

Drama

Robert F. Crowley

Theme: There is no peace on earth between the world system and God. They are in constant conflict and taking a stand for the Prince of Peace is often risky. A man's enemies are sometimes masquerading as his friends. Summary: Ed is told by his supervisor that he is being fired from his job because he will not participate in the training provided by the company. Playing Time: 3 minutes Setting: A work place Props: None Costumes: Business attire Time: The present Cast ED JOE -- Ed's supervisor ED: (ENTERS AND ...

4393. The Parable Of Big Business

Matthew 25:14-30

Drama

Robert F. Crowley

Theme: In the Kingdom of God increased responsibility necessitates increased faithfulness. Summary: The boss delegates responsibilities before he leaves and each of his assistants handles the responsibility according to his level of faith and obedience. The first two people receive praise for their efforts when the boss returns, but the last person receives no praise because he wasted his time. Playing Time: 8 minutes Setting: The boss's office Props: Files Notebooks Phones Gun Costumes: Business Time: The ...

4394. For All The Saints

Luke 9:28-36

Sermon

Charles H. Bayer

There are games theologians play. One of them is called, "I am no more modern than thou." I've played that game well. I make no apology for believing that the Lord didn't stop communicating when the last pages of the New Testament were completed. I believe some things written in our day are just as authentic as anything written in the first century. I cringe when old time religion means rigid, irrational conformity based on what someone said ages ago. Jesus was not stuck with a dusty tradition or what ...

4395. Moving At The Speed Of Light: On The Mountain

2 Peter 1:12-21

Sermon

Frank Luchsinger

Peter went to the mountain with Jesus. And what happened there was of such magnitude that decades after the resurrection, it still was of bedrock importance to Peter's witness for Christ. We know the story. Peter and James and John went with Jesus up to a high place, apart from the others. And while they were there Jesus' appearance before them changed. They saw him stand with Moses and Elijah. As Matthew describes, "His face shown like the sun, and his garments became white as light." Peter offered to ...

4396. The Better Part

Luke 10:38-42

Sermon

John G. Lynch

During World War II the Royal Air Force flew Danny's favorite plane of all time: the Spitfire. Watching those things fly all over the RKO newsreels the young boy came to believe they were dauntless. If a pilot flew a Spitfire, Danny thought, he would always hit his target, and he would always return home. One day the British Consul from Minneapolis came to Danny's town to visit. Danny's dad was chairman of the County War Bond drive so that gave him the honor of entertaining the British Consul in his home. ...

4397. Life's Final Flight

2 Kings 2:1-18

Sermon

Barbara Brokhoff

Some of the largest ads in newspapers, and some of the best commercials on television, deal with flying. Some people think that flying is "the only way to go," others fly only because they must and "white-knuckle" it all the way, and some simply refuse to fly at all, claiming that "if God intended us to fly he would have given us wings." Some delightful stories come out of airplane experiences. One such tale deals with the time when the passengers in a large jet plane were already anxious because of bad ...

4398. You Can Be Well Fed

1 Corinthians 11:17-34

Sermon

Michael B. Brown

I used to serve as pastor to a delightful young woman who was a physiologist. A committed health nut, she probably weighed all of 90 pounds soaking wet. She ran about five miles per day and actually seemed to enjoy counting fat grams. Though a truly charming young lady, she was not much of a realist. I note that because one of her goals was to make me as skinny as she was. Following a trip to a church conference at Lake Junaluska, North Carolina, I made the mistake of telling her that I had stopped at the ...

4399. Lent 5

John 7:45--8:11, Luke 20:9-19, John 12:1-11, Philippians 3:12-4:1, Philippians 3:1-11, Isaiah 43:14-28

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Isaiah 43:16-21 Yahweh promises to do a new thing for his people in exile. The "new thing" (v. 19) Yahweh promises is a new exodus from bondage in Babylon. The "former things" (v. 18) refer to the exodus from Egypt. As in the first exodus, Yahweh will make a way through the wilderness and provide water as the people cross 600 miles of desert from Babylon to Jerusalem. A third exodus is the sacrifice of Christ who redeemed us from the bondage of sin and who now provides food and ...

4400. Father's Day

Psalm 78:1-72

Sermon

Brett Blair

I once saw an advertisement in a particular magazine for Father's Day. It was an acrostic on the word Father. It read... “F” is for your favorite occupation. (A man is pictured asleep in a chair) “A” is for the anniversaries your blew (mother is shown waiting in vain for father to come home for their anniversary dinner) “T” is for talk and your sparkling conversation (dad is depicted as reading a newspaper while the children and wife are talking to him) “H” is for the helpful things that you do (dad is ...

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